An important aid to the spread of Christianity in Macedonia was the Via Egnatia, a paved Roman highway. After landing at the seaport of Neapolis (now Kaválla, Greece) at the northern end of the Aegean Sea, the missionaries evidently traveled on that highway to Philippi, the principal city of the district of Macedonia. The road led on to Amphipolis, Apollonia, and Thessalonica, the next stops of Paul and his companions.—Acts 16:11–17:1.

The Via Egnatia, however, brought to the people living in the area a benefit far superior to material prosperity. Take, for example, the prosperous businesswoman Lydia. She lived in Philippi—the first city in Europe to hear Paul preach the good news. After landing at Neapolis in 50 C.E., the apostle Paul and his companions traveled ten miles [16 km] northwest along the Via Egnatia to Philippi.